Ammunition for firearms



May 20, 1958 H. BROMBACHER AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1954 y 1958 H. BROMBACHER 2,835,198

I AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 10, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 V m k 4 M/ a e v 3 k I w May 20, 1958 H. BROMBACHER AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 10, 1954 United States Patent 2,835,198 AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS Heinrich Brombacher, Zurich, Switzerland Application September 10, 1954, Serial No. 455,178

Claims priority, application Switzerland September 10, 1953 4 Claims. (Cl. 10238) The present invention relates to ammunition for firearms and more particularly to ammunition which is adapted for use in automatic firearms where there is a tendency to increase the fire power by increasing the rate of fire.

The present invention has as its object to permit an increase of the firepower of such arms by increasing the rate of firing of projectiles.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a type of ammunition for firearms by means of which one round or cartridge fires a plurality of projectiles, which travel through the barrel in spaced relation without touching each other and which leave this barrel in succession.

To this end the projectiles are arranged in rectilinear end to end relation in the cartridge chamber and at least one projectile is embedded in the propellent charge. The composition and arrangement of the propellent charge is chosen such that upon firing of the round, the ignition spark, setting off the propellent charge, travels to the foremost portion of this charge; which portion has a higher burning velocity than the portion of the charge lying immediately behind. The gas pressure generated in this manner sets ofi the foremost shell and imparts an acceleration thereto. The same process is repeated at the projectile arrangedrearwards of the foremost one. If this rear projectile is the last one of a round, the gas pressure acting thereupon is the maximum gas pressure of the propellent charge imparting the desired velocity to the projectile. The acceleration of the last projectile is, at the higher gas pressure acting, higher than that of the preceding projectile so that the distance between the two projectiles is reduced. When leaving the cartridge chamber and entering the barrel the subsequent projectile blocks the bore whereby the gas zone at the rear of the preceding projectile is sealed. The gases enclosed between the two projectiles now act as a buffer. The rear projectile having a higher acceleration compresses the gases contained in the gas zone and increases their pressure until this pressure is substantially equal to the full gas pressure acting upon the last projectile. This latter gas pressure now acts on the last projectile and the sealed gas zone upon the preceding projectile such that all projectiles will leave the barrel in succession.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating by wayof example cartridge ammunition for firearms.

Fig. 1 shows an axial section of a cartridge having two projectiles,

Fig. la shows the outer configuration of such a cartridge,

Fig. 2 shows a partial axial section of a cartridge containing three shells.

Fig. 2a shows the outer configuration of such a cartridge.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the rear end of the barrel and the cartridge chamber of a gun, a cartridge being inserted into the cartridge chamber.

2,835,198 Patented May 20, 1958 Figs. 4 to 8 show successive positions of the shells after firing.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 1 designates the cartridge case, 2 the primer cap and 3 the shells, one of which is always arranged at the front end of the cartridge case in a conventional manner, the cartridge having a neck of reduced diameter (see Figs. 1a and 2a); The remaining shells 3 are embedded in the propellent charge in the case, this charge comprising a front portion 5 having a higher burning velocity thana rear portion 4. The shells shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are of the hard core type having a core 9 of high quality steel enclosed in an inner coat 10 of lead and an outer coat ll'made of copper. It will be evident to the expert that different materials may be used for the shell and that the shell maybe of another type than the one shown, for instance, shells containing an explosive charge may be used.

In Figs 38 details of a conventional gun are shown in section.

As shown in Figs. 36 the barrel 8 is enclosed by a jacket 12. The rear end of the barred 8 is provided with a cartridge chamber 18 into which a cartridge containing two shells 3 is inserted. In Fig. 3 the breech block 13 in the breech casing 14 is shown in locked position, the firing pin 15 being ready to strike the primer cap 2. The bore 16 of the barrel 8 is provided with a conventional type of rifiing 17.

In Fig. 4 the priming charge has been ignited and the propellent charge set off. The front portion 5 of this charge burning faster than the rear portion 4 has set the front shell into motion.

In Fig. 5 the distance between the two shells has increased and the rear shell is leaving the cartridge case sealing the barrel towards the rear so that a closed gas pocket 6 is formed between the two shells travelling through the barrel.

In Fig. 6 also the second shell has left the cartridge case and approaches the front shell under the effect of the higher gas pressure acting at its rear, the gas contained in the pocket 6 being compressed. In Fig. 7 the gas pressure in the pocket 6 has increased to such an extent that it is substantially equal to the pressure of the gas in the zone 7. K The pressure of the propellent charge, being now completely deflagrated, will act over the rear shell and the gas pocket 6 upon the front shell so that both shells will leave the barrel with equal muzzle velocities.

In Fig. 8 both shells have left the barrel. The front shell produces a head wave in the ambient air. The rear shell, following the path of the front shell is still Within the detonating wave.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiments of my invention without departing from the scope thereof as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim: 7

1. A cartridge for firearms comprising a cartridge case,

a plurality of projectiles and a propellant charge, said propellent charge having a plurality of adjacent portions of difierent burning velocity and said projectiles being arranged in end to end axial alignment of the cartridge case, at least one of said projectiles being spaced from said case by said propellent charge. 2. A cartridge for firearms according to claim 1, wheren the portions of the propellent charge follow each other in axial direction of the cartridge case, the foremost portion having a higher rate of deflagration than the rearwardly portion such that the initial acceleration of the foremost projectile is higher than the acceleration of the remaining projectiles.

3. A cartridge for firearms according to claim 2, wherein the projectiles are separated by portions of the propellent charge.

4'. A cartridge for fire arms comprising a cartridge case within said propelI'ent charge so as to be spaced from said with a mouth portion of predermined diameter and a procartridge case. pellent chamber having a larger diameter, a plurality of References Cited in the file of this patent pro ectiles arranged 1n rectilinear relation to each other and a'priopellent charge, the foremost of said projectiles 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS being situated in the mouth portion of said cartridge case 694,674 S tt M 4, 1902 and the remaining projectiles being-arranged in the pro- 694,896 S tt M r, 4, 1902 pellcnt chamber ofsaid cartridge case and embedded 703,840

Scott July 1, 1902 

